County profile · Pennsylvania
Dauphin County, PA market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Dauphin County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 293,351
- +2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 121,358
- Median household income
- $76,242
- +25.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $236,400
- Jobs located here
- 201,933
- Highest market score
- 82
- Electricians, #36 of 1,160 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Dauphin County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Dauphin County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 293,351 people live in Dauphin County, in 121,358 households. Population estimates put the population change in Dauphin County from 2020 to 2025 at +2.3%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in Dauphin County is $76,242 a year, 6% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 25.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Dauphin County spend the most on clothing, shoes and related services (an index of 107, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on pets (69).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Dauphin County are for electricians (82), home repair companies (81) and roofing and gutter companies (81). Dauphin County ranks #36 of 1,160 scored counties for electricians.
Dauphin County is part of the Harrisburg-Carlisle metro area. For its number of households, Dauphin County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for laundromats (50% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (58% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Dauphin County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Dauphin County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 82 | #36 of 1,160 | 19 | 1.6 | $19.6M | 163 | 41 |
| Home repair trades | 81 | #36 of 2,057 | 102 | 8.4 | $3.7M | 150 | 118 |
| Roofing and gutters | 81 | #46 of 1,177 | 27 | 2.2 | $13.8M | 163 | 10 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 80 | #66 of 1,707 | 56 | 4.6 | $6.7M | 140 | 67 |
| Home inspectors | 76 | #24 of 415 | 5 | 0.4 | Index only | 164 | 4 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 75 | #65 of 887 | 22 | 1.8 | Index only | 250 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | 74 | #40 of 507 | 8 | 0.7 | $33.3M | 213 | 10 |
| Spas and skin care | 69 | #246 of 1,769 | 78 | 6.4 | $1.5M | 174 | 23 |
| Convenience stores | 69 | #466 of 2,261 | 103 | 8.5 | $7.8M | 99 | 34 |
| Pest control | 67 | #121 of 699 | 10 | 0.8 | $15.2M | 148 | 6 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 67 | #531 of 2,402 | 233 | 19.2 | $3.5M | 102 | 82 |
| Gyms | 66 | #330 of 1,792 | 83 | 6.8 | $1.3M | 98 | 25 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 66 | #332 of 2,176 | 210 | 17.3 | Index only | 188 | 85 |
| Property management | 65 | #207 of 910 | 32 | 2.6 | Index only | 121 | 39 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 65 | #442 of 2,063 | 105 | 8.7 | $4.5M | 120 | 52 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 64 | #160 of 777 | 22 | 1.8 | $4.8M | 119 | 25 |
| Veterinarians | 64 | #397 of 1,485 | 24 | 2.0 | $3.2M | 116 | 21 |
| Real estate | 64 | #419 of 2,229 | 269 | 22.2 | Index only | 184 | 147 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 62 | #341 of 1,334 | 54 | 4.4 | $2M | 97 | 20 |
| Chiropractors | 62 | #399 of 1,490 | 46 | 3.8 | $3.1M | 129 | 31 |
| Gas stations | 62 | #650 of 2,358 | 81 | 6.7 | $2.9M | 123 | 96 |
| Barbershops | 61 | #427 of 1,356 | 57 | 4.7 | $2.1M | 111 | 6 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 60 | #603 of 2,088 | 159 | 13.1 | $666K | 101 | 45 |
| Grocery stores | 60 | #691 of 2,070 | 100 | 8.2 | $8.1M | 87 | 48 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 57 | #492 of 1,302 | 46 | 3.8 | $3.1M | 99 | 17 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 56 | #557 of 1,493 | 63 | 5.2 | $2.4M | 82 | 81 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 56 | #904 of 2,222 | 150 | 12.4 | $3.1M | 102 | 251 |
| Funeral homes | 55 | #580 of 1,472 | 31 | 2.6 | $537K | 79 | 14 |
| Car washes and detailing | 55 | #603 of 1,451 | 46 | 3.8 | $2.2M | 89 | 8 |
| House cleaning | 54 | #323 of 847 | 21 | 1.7 | $7.2M | 113 | 64 |
| Pet stores | 54 | #413 of 974 | 19 | 1.6 | $4M | 88 | 5 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 54 | #578 of 1,327 | 37 | 3.0 | $2.8M | 90 | 16 |
| Tire shops | 53 | #704 of 1,530 | 45 | 3.7 | $2.3M | 91 | 15 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 53 | #753 of 1,771 | 94 | 7.7 | $1.6M | 96 | 151 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 52 | #148 of 325 | 5 | 0.4 | $28.4M | 116 | 10 |
| Laundromats | 52 | #365 of 785 | 29 | 2.4 | $9.2M | 74 | 8 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 52 | #983 of 2,087 | 190 | 15.7 | $1.4M | 110 | 112 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 51 | #1,104 of 2,210 | 264 | 21.8 | $1M | 115 | 130 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 50 | #937 of 1,886 | 117 | 9.6 | $1.2M | 123 | 88 |
| Pizza | 49 | #1,075 of 2,090 | 116 | 9.6 | $4M | 79 | 251 |
| Pet businesses | 48 | #1,194 of 2,200 | 107 | 8.8 | $708K | 81 | 50 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 48 | #1,284 of 2,405 | 728 | 60.0 | $643K | 97 | 221 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 48 | #1,285 of 2,405 | 1,331 | 109.7 | $352K | 95 | 527 |
| Auto repair and car care | 48 | #1,308 of 2,401 | 417 | 34.4 | $246K | 92 | 140 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 47 | #1,050 of 1,889 | 137 | 11.3 | $3.4M | 83 | 65 |
| Hair salons | 46 | #1,374 of 2,339 | 268 | 22.1 | $443K | 103 | 116 |
| Auto repair shops | 45 | #1,441 of 2,378 | 253 | 20.8 | $406K | 91 | 107 |
| Child care and preschools | 44 | #979 of 1,611 | 90 | 7.4 | $744K | 74 | 104 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 44 | #1,516 of 2,385 | 492 | 40.5 | $241K | 113 | 198 |
| Nail salons | 41 | #929 of 1,328 | 75 | 6.2 | $1.6M | 95 | 48 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 41 | #1,118 of 1,656 | 94 | 7.7 | $1.5M | 85 | 194 |
| Insurance agencies | 40 | #1,465 of 2,272 | 157 | 12.9 | $1.2M | 95 | 99 |
| Physical therapy | 39 | #1,013 of 1,422 | 80 | 6.6 | $1.8M | 74 | 47 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 37 | #1,045 of 1,461 | 50 | 4.1 | $1.5M | 60 | 24 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 34 | #1,944 of 2,394 | 1,068 | 88.0 | $133K | 87 | 387 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 0.3 | $25.7M | 187 | 7 |
Household spending in Dauphin County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $102.6M | $846 | 88 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $238.6M | $1,966 | 76 |
| Food away from home | $468.4M | $3,859 | 95 |
| Groceries | $805.8M | $6,640 | 105 |
| Personal care products and services | $118.8M | $979 | 97 |
| Child care and other personal services | $67M | $552 | 95 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $105.9M | $872 | 89 |
| Medical and dental services | $142M | $1,170 | 91 |
| Pets | $75.8M | $624 | 69 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $266.7M | $2,198 | 107 |
| Vehicle insurance | $187.1M | $1,542 | 79 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $372.8M | $3,072 | 102 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $151.6M | $1,249 | 88 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $2.1B | $17,705 | 106 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Dauphin County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 293,351+2.3% since 2020
- Households
- 121,358
- Median age
- 39.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 63%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 525 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 552
- Median household income
- $76,242+25.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $101,388
- Median home value
- $236,400
- Jobs located here
- 201,933
- Daytime population
- 355,122Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Dauphin County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Dauphin County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
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Questions
How fast is Dauphin County, PA growing?
Population estimates put Dauphin County at 293,351 people in 2025, up 2.3% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 121,358 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 25.6%, before inflation.
How much do households in Dauphin County, PA spend?
Households in Dauphin County spend about $2.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $805.8M on groceries and $468.4M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Dauphin County runs highest on clothing, shoes and related services (an index of 107, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on pets (69).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Dauphin County, PA?
Of the business types scored in Dauphin County, electricians (82), home repair companies (81) and roofing and gutter companies (81) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For electricians, that ranks #36 of 1,160 scored counties.
How does Dauphin County, PA compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Dauphin County is $76,242, 6% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 2.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $236,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for laundromats (50% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (58% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Dauphin County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Dauphin County. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Dauphin County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Dauphin County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.